Give Us What You’ve Got!
This Could Change my Life… at Least my Writing
“How many pages have I produced? I don’t care. Are they any good? I don’t even think about it. All that matters is I’ve put in my time and hit it with all I’ve got. All that counts is that for this day, for this session, I have overcome Resistance.”[1]
This quote from Steven Pressfield makes me think of Dr. Clark’s comment in a recent DLGP chat in which he said that not all of our blogs will be homeruns and that’s okay. It is the process of writing weekly that is valuable and over time, we will strengthen and improve our skills and heighten the quality of our reading, thinking, and writing.[2] In a similar way, Pressfield encourages us to see writing as a discipline. Create your routine and stick to it. Write regularly, whether or not you feel inspired. And the result will be that some of the material will be good, some not useable, and some will be extraordinary and as a whole, we will have a substantial body of writing from which to pull out essays, blogs, and even final NPO projects. This introductory quote from Pressfield just might transform the way I write.
An Introduction to Pressfield and King
In our readings this week, Steven Pressfield and Stephen King offer writing insight, largely based on their personal experience. Pressfield, in his book, The War of Art, Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, offers practical tips on overcoming “resistance” to creating one’s art form, specifically writing. His book is divided into three sections in which he defines resistance and “destroys every reason you’ve ever rationalized for not getting something done;” offers advice on overcoming resistance and dedicating yourself to your art; and presents inspiring suggestions on how to tap into intangible forces to help you create with wisdom and guidance from outside yourself.[3]
Stephen King, in On Writing, A memoir of the Craft, blends the story of his life with his learnings on the practice of writing, describing how his childhood shaped him as a writer and provided the roots from which his career evolved. Toward the end of the book, King describes his near-fatal accident in 1999 and the way in which writing inspired his recovery, mentally and physically.[4] He challenges readers to set out on their own writing adventures, saying, “Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up.”[5]
Writing Can be Part of the Healing
A point of similarity that I find interesting in these books is that both authors delve into their personal lives to tell stories of how their writing evolved and grew over time. Each highlights the fact that he was far from perfect as an individual and in his skillset before starting to write. Pressfield’s chapter entitled, “Resistance and Healing,” especially caught my attention. Here, he highlights the tendency for many of us to feel like we must reach a certain level of expertise or “healing” before we can write anything meaningful to share with others. He says, “The concept…seems to be that one needs to complete his healing before he is ready to do his work. This way of thinking…is a form of Resistance.”[6] At the end of the chapter, he concludes with, “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing against true healing. We all need it. But it has nothing to do with doing our work and it can be a colossal exercise in Resistance.”[7]
Personal Application
When I was in college, I used to clean the house completely before I sat down to do my homework. This was a form of resistance and a way for me to feel “more put together” so that I could start thinking more clearly and creating from my best vantage point. As I got older and had kids, the ability to get everything in order before I could sit down to work became completely unreasonable. I became more deeply aware of the “messiness” in my internal life, though, and that often prevented me from starting the creative work to which God was calling me. I put the work on hold, waiting for that season until I felt wiser, sharper, more put-together. I felt a resistance to step fully into God’s calling for fear that I wasn’t good enough yet. I wondered, “Who am I to offer my thoughts to the world from an imperfect perspective?” Even today, I struggle with this thought. Perhaps, I need to step out in confidence and strength, knowing it’s not my “togetherness” that’s needed to engage God’s call, but my confidence and trust in God’s ability to make a way.[8]
There is a tension in the above process. There does need to be a particular level of maturity before we undertake certain stages of our life journey. But, there is also some wisdom in beginning to create and share our gifts with the world before we are completely “put together” and feeling at our best. Regarding the art of writing, Author Ally Fallon emphasizes in her book, The Power of Writing it Down¸ that there is measurable data that confirms the power of writing to heal past traumas, strengthen our immune systems, and increase our overall wellness.[9] Writing can be a form of healing, in and of itself. The very things that come together for us as we write can be the elements discovered and needed for our growth and enlightenment. What we learn can also be a help to others.
This makes me think of the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers. There is a short phrase in that story that says, “and as they went, they were cleansed.”[10] It’s often “as we go” that we are healed, setting out on the journey God opens before us, taking steps before we actually know where the story leads, believing we can move forward, even when we have no strength, motivation, or seeming courage.
For me, I have been afraid in the past to share my thoughts until I am more fully “healed.” I think what Pressfield is saying is, we can’t be forever working on the healing and not getting around to the work. I think what Jesus is saying is, step out on the journey that has opened before you and trust that as you go in His love and presence, you will find healing and more fully grow into the person you were intended to be. Start the work of living fully into your potential and don’t hold back. If God is leading us into a life direction that involves sharing ourselves, we can begin now and resist the tendency to wait until we feel fully capable, for it is on the way, that we will grow healthier, more mature, and able.
Conclusion
I am motivated to step forward in my imperfectness and to join with others in creating and offering ourselves, according to the work God has given us, and maybe, as we go, we will find the healing and wholeness for which we have been longing all along. In holding back, we stunt our growth and take ourselves out of the body working up to it’s potential as God intended. Pressfield says, “Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”[11]
[1] Steven Pressfield, The War of Art, Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (Los Angeles, CA: Black Irish Entertainment, LLC, 2002), vii-viii.
[2] Jason Clark, DLGP01 Zoom Chat, January 9, 2023.
[3] Spencer Haws, “My Review of the War of Art by Steven Pressfield,” in Niche Pursuits, March 10, 2022, nichepursuits.com/war-of-art-review/.
[4] Stephen King, On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft (New York, NY: Scribner, 2000), 253.
[5] King, 270.
[6] Pressfield, 48.
[7] Pressfield, 50.
[8] Joshua 1:9 offers an inspiring example of God’s call to Joshua to be strong and courageous and to remember that God is with him in the very journey to which he calls him.
[9] Allison Fallon, The Power of Writing it Down, A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Thrive, 2020), 19.
[10] Luke 17:14.
[11] Pressfield, 165.
About the Author
Jenny Steinbrenner Hale
13 responses to “Give Us What You’ve Got!”
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Hi Jenny
Your comparison with the lepers that were healed and the need to go for it, as a way to enter into the healing and creative journey, caught my attention. Thank you for sharing personally about your own journey to juggle the demands of life while continuing to pursue your calling. How were you able to work through the messiness of your inner life as you invited others in to the messiness? Did any process or habits emerge that you rely on to be creative?
Hi Chad, Thanks so much for your comments and questions. I think that one thing that happened as I saw the messiness in my own life was that I realized that I didn’t always have to have it together in all areas of my life. I hope in that realization, I became more authentic and relaxed and a better leader. There were many other growth points, but those can be for another post!
That’s a great question re the emergence of habits. Now that I think about it, I started the habit of writing down things I’m grateful for every morning. That has been a fun routine and I think something that keeps my brain focused on God and thinking more creatively through the day.
Thanks for the questions!
Hey Jenny, I loved the way you dealt with the healing and made it personal. I could definitely identify with you about wanting my workspace neat and in order before working on a project. I didn’t think it was resistance at the time.
What is your strongest area of resistance now?
Hi Audrey, Thanks so much for your comments and question. I think my biggest point of resistance in my writing now is pushing through the hard work of identifying an angle on which to write. I sometimes resist that for a couple days, procrastinating and finding other things to do around the house. I’m trying just to choose a subject and start writing.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate you!
Jenny,
I love your personal application of our readings this week. This was a wonderful quote, “Writing can be a form of healing, in and of itself. The very things that come together for us as we write can be the elements discovered and needed for our growth and enlightenment.” I also liked how you compared it to the story of the healing of the 10 lepers who were healed as the went, not immediately. Well done, as always! And beautifully put together.
Thank you so much for your comments, Tonette. I really appreciate your feedback. It was great to see you this morning!
Jenny, thanks for the great resources cited; I loved The Power of Writing it down. “That there is measurable data that confirms the power of writing to heal past traumas, strengthen our immune systems, and increase our overall wellness” I have learned of an amazing program drawing working with refugee children struggling with trauma. This program helps healthy attachment towards trauma healing.
Hi Jean, Thanks so much for reading and for your comments. I would really like to learn more about the drawing program you mentioned and the way in which it is helping refugee children heal from trauma. I hope you will talk more about that at some point. Thank you, Jean!
Jenny, the work of Lark Eshleman, Ph.D. is inspiring. I was searching for resources as I dreamed of helping traumatized children of war and came upon her work. She is such a blessing to these little ones. Here is more information about what she is doing.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b7f14e78ab722e3da49b237/t/63bf1631ea4b790d0074d4f2/1673467448671/Traumatized+Children%5EJ+Building+Trust.pdf
Thank you, Jean! I’m really looking forward to looking at this resource. Hope you’ve had a good weekend.
I’m behind and catching up… there are some blogs that are just taking an incredible amount of time to process and there are some that are flowing easily.
How can writers use their writing as a tool to overcome self-doubt and fear that might be blocking them from achieving their goals (AKA Writing the HARD blogs…)?
Hi Alana, Thanks for your comments and question. I, too, have found resistance to writing the “hard” blogs. I find myself not wanting to write and show mistakes in my understanding. I also sometimes honestly can’t think of how to respond in a blog. I really like Pressfield’s advice just to sit down and write. Don’t worry if it’s good or not. There will be gems along the way.
I thought I was the only person that would find anything to rather than what I am suppose to be doing. I am glad that you have found your way around it.